Nuclear arms race

Other Names:
Nuclear rivalry among nations
Nuclear rivalry between countries

Relationships between the world's major military alliances are in danger of becoming more confrontational. There is a lack of political contact and communication among all the nuclear weapons powers. This blind nuclear arms race prevents securing any real progress on disarmament. In this context of heightened tensions and a continuing build-up of nuclear arsenals, the future of civilization as we know it could be threatened. No countries nor peoples would be insulated from that fate.


According to several post 1991 Gulf War reports, countries such as India and Pakistan accelerated chemical weapons programmes in response Iraq's success in drawing public attention with poison gas capability. A 1993 report suggests the breakup of the former Soviet Union may have placed previously hidden Soviet nuclear weapons materials into the hands of North Korea, Iran and Iraq. All three countries allegedly made attempts to obtain the services of former Soviet weapons scientists and the materials they produced.

Defence Arms
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
Problem Type:
D: Detailed problems
Date of last update
17.06.2020 – 16:57 CEST